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Mittals, Poonawalla pad up for Rajasthan Royals with $1.65 billion deal | IPL 2026

Published

4 hours ago

4 May 2026

Billionaire steelmaker Lakshmi N Mittal, his son Aditya Mittal, and Serum Institute of India Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla on Sunday announced that they have reached a definitive agreement to acquire over 90 per cent stake in Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) from existing shareholder Manoj Badale.

The transaction is valued at about $1.65 billion, representing the enterprise value of the RR men’s team as well as its associated franchises — Paarl Royals in South Africa and Barbados Royals in the Caribbean.

Following completion, the Mittal family will hold about a 75 per cent stake in the franchise, while Poonawalla will own around 18 per cent. The remaining 7 per cent will continue to be held by approved existing investors, including Badale.

Badale, who has been associated with RR since its inception, will continue to support the franchise in a transitional role.

Besides the IPL team, RR owns Paarl Royals in South Africa’s SA20 league and Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League.

The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, including approvals from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the Competition Commission of India, the IPL Governing Council, and other regulatory authorities. It is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.

Lakshmi Mittal said the investment was both a personal and strategic decision, pointing to his roots in Rajasthan and a longstanding association with cricket. He said he has followed the sport since his school days and looks forward to being closely involved with the franchise and engaging with fans. He also referenced the team’s history of producing and backing leading players, including those who have gone on to inspire younger talent. “I cannot wait to join fans pitch-side to cheer our future success,” he said.

Lakshmi Mittal, Aditya Mittal, daughter Vanisha Mittal-Bhatia, Poonawalla, and Badale will join the board of RR following the completion of the transaction.

The deal comes amid a wave of ownership changes and high valuations in IPL franchises. In March, a consortium comprising Aditya Birla Group, Bennett Coleman & Co. (The Times Group), Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone’s perpetual private equity strategy BXPE signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 per cent of Royal Challengers Bengaluru from United Spirits, a subsidiary of Diageo plc. The transaction valued the franchise at ₹16,660 crore and includes both the IPL and Women’s Premier League teams.

Earlier, in 2025, Torrent Group acquired a 67 per cent stake in Gujarat Titans from CVC Capital Partners for about ₹5,000 crore, while JSW Group acquired a 50 per cent stake in the then Delhi Daredevils (now known as Delhi Capitals) from GMR Group for around ₹550 crore.

By partnering Aditya Mittal on the investment, Poonawalla sees RR as a franchise with a strong legacy and room for “continued growth”. He added that he looks forward to “supporting its long-term success”.

Given that the IPL has rapidly grown into one of the world’s leading sporting leagues, Aditya Mittal described RR as one of its “original and most recognisable teams”. He said the franchise’s focus on identifying and nurturing young talent resonates with the group’s approach, and that the new owners intend to build on that foundation while harnessing its global standing. He also acknowledged the role of players, coaching staff, management, and fans in shaping the franchise so far.

Mittal-Bhatia credited her interest in the investment to a longstanding family association with sport and cricket, adding that it represents an opportunity to be part of the next phase of growth of the league.

Badale said it had been a privilege to be involved with RR since the beginning and to help build the franchise into a competitive and widely followed team. He said the incoming investors bring both a strong connection to Rajasthan and a long-term vision for the franchise and that he looks forward to supporting them as the team enters its next phase.

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Rishabh Pant Mentions Sanjiv Goenka At Toss Ahead Of Mumbai Indians Clash, Makes Big Promise Amid Poor Run

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2 minutes ago

4 May 2026

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Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant mentioned owner Sanjiv Goenka at toss ahead of the IPL 2026 encounter against Mumbai Indians on Monday. It has been a tough campaign for LSG till now as they have won just 2 out of their 8 matches and face an uphill battle when it comes to qualifying to the playoffs. The Pant-led side need to win all of their remaining matches and depend on other results to make sure that they finish in the Top 4. Pant was asked about their form during toss and he said that Sanjiv Goenka is extremely passionate about the game as well as the team before adding that the team wants to improve their form in order to deliver consistent results for the fans as well as their owner.

“We would have done the same. In Wankhede it’s a good wicket to bat on and you can chase any target. (How does a week off help? Did it help to kind of get together?) It definitely [did], a lot of reflection, what we can do and what we can do as a team and as an individual. One thing we always found out, it’s been a tough season for us and there is no running away from that, but one person for us has the most difficult time was our owner Mr. Goenka, he’s one of that guy. Everyone knows how passionate he is about cricket and about his team. But at the same time we let down our fans down. The only promise is from this break is, we’re gonna give our 200%, try to bring that happiness back and hopefully we can do it for our owner and the fans for sure.”

“(Having a good record against MI) Records help but at the same time when you’re clearing your mindset, when you’re free, when you’re raring to go everything comes together. (Changes for you?) We have three changes. Josh Inglis comes in and Mukul goes out and Raghuwanshi is making his debut and bowling will decide later,” Pant said at the toss.

Playing XIs:

Lucknow Super Giants: Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (c, wk), Akshat Raghuvanshi, Himmat Singh, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav

Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Raghu Sharma

(With IANS inputs)

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IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss

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Jarrett Allen Saves Cavs in Game 7 To Secure Date With Pistons

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15 minutes ago

4 May 2026

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After 26 quarters of basketball, the Raptors and Cavs were tied 718-718 in total points scored for the series. It had been a very underwhelming series for Cleveland up until that point. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden had been very quiet, and shots weren’t falling for the rest of the role players.

Someone had to step up to save the season for Cleveland, and it was Jarrett Allen. The man best known for the lights being too bright saved the Cavs’ season with a 14-point, 10-rebound third quarter. He took over this game for Cleveland, being the catalyst for a 38-19 third quarter, which Cleveland rode to a 114-102 finish.

More importantly than Allen showing up when it mattered, the Cavs finally played like the team we expected them to be this entire series. Instead of settling for bad isolation sets and last-second threes, the Cavs took it to the Raptors and would not let up with consistent rim pressure.

Cleveland has been out-physicalled by playoff teams during the Mitchell era, and they won this game by being the more physical team on both ends. The Cavs out-rebounded the Raptors 40-33, but more importantly destroyed them on the offensive glass 20-7. They also did a great job getting in the paint, shooting 37 free throws in this one.

Harden didn’t have an amazing game, but late into the second quarter, he started putting his head down and driving into the lane. He finished the game with 13 free throws and was a big spark to Cleveland’s offense whenever the game seemed to get tense. Most importantly for Harden, he only had 2 turnovers. He limited the possessions for a Raptors team that thrives on transition basketball.

Round two should be much different for Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell has to show up for the Cavs. Detroit has far fewer physical and talented defenders to throw at him. If he can’t attack the doubles they send at him, I’ll have questions on what he can ever provide for Cleveland in the playoffs.

It was an ugly first round for Cleveland, but I love their matchup with Detroit heading into the Eastern Conference Semis. The Cavs have a far more explosive offense than Orlando, and should be able to exploit a Pistons team that showed zero signs of offensive production outside of Cade Cunningham. Dean Wade did a tremendous job of slowing Cade in the regular season. If he can do that again, I think Donovan could end his streak of zero Conference Finals appearances in 2026.

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Babajide, Oladipo Win Italian Women’s League Title With Roma

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28 minutes ago

4 May 2026

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Nigerian stars Rinsola Babajide and Shukurat Oladipo have won the 2025/26 Serie A Femminile title with AS Roma Women.

Roma secured the league crown on Saturday after beating Ternana 2-0. Midfielder Manuela Giugliano scored both goals to help the club seal the title with two matches still left to play.

It is the first trophy won by Babajide and Oladipo since joining Roma in 2025. The success also marks an important moment in the careers of the two Super Falcons players.

The league triumph is Roma’s third Serie A Femminile title. The club had earlier won the championship in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, meaning they have now lifted three of the last four league titles in Italy.

Roma still have the chance to complete a domestic double this season. They will face Juventus Women in the Coppa Italia Women final on May 24.

Oladipo has been one of Roma’s key players this season. The 21-year-old defender has featured in 16 league matches and missed only four games.

She has played 1,243 league minutes in her first full season at the club, with only five Roma players recording more playing time.

Babajide, despite limited opportunities, has also made an impact. The forward has contributed three goals involvement in nine league appearances this season.

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Raiders’ No 1 pick Mendoza lacks NFL traits, anonymous coach says

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39 minutes ago

4 May 2026

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Fernando Mendoza sky-rocketed to the top of every NFL pundit’s draft board during the course of the 2025 college football season as the Indiana Hoosiers standout won the Heisman Trophy and led the school to a national championship.

Mendoza’s status stayed clean as the Las Vegas Raiders selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. He will be tasked with returning the franchise back to glory under head coach Klint Kubiak and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is set to serve as Mendoza’s mentor.

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza running during a drill at a rookie minicamp

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza runs through a drill during a rookie minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nev., on May 2, 2026. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)

A detractor came out of the woodwork on Monday as an anonymous ACC coach told ESPN that he didn’t believe Mendoza had the “NFL traits.” The coach competed against Mendoza when the quarterback was tossing the pigskin around for the Cal Golden Bears.

“He’s a good decision-maker, but I don’t think he’s got the NFL traits,” the coach told ESPN. “They’re all back-shoulder (throws). That’s not working in the NFL. His receivers made plays to make him look better than he is. In the NFL, those throws are getting picked off.”

FERNANDO MENDOZA, THE NO 1 PICK OF NFL DRAFT TO THE RAIDERS, TASKED WITH RETURNING A LEGACY FRANCHISE TO GLORY

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza warming up at rookie minicamp

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza warms up during a rookie minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nev., on May 2, 2026. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)

Mendoza showed grit and determination with some of the throws he made at Indiana. One that comes to mind is the game-winning touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. against Penn State.

Cooper made the catch and an incredible toe-tap for the touchdown with 36 seconds left in the game, which kept Indiana’s dream season alive.

Raiders general manager John Spytek said last month he nixed any talk of trading the No. 1 pick because he was sure Mendoza would be their guy.

“I think any coach is excited to work with a big, athletic, talented thrower that is extremely smart and a very driven worker, and that’s been our experience with Fernando,” Spytek said. “That’s a great starting spot for any quarterback.”

It’s the heart that Mendoza showed throughout the season, including in the national title game against the Miami Hurricanes, that made him an attractive prospect for NFL teams.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza speaking at a news conference in Henderson, Nevada.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news conference at the Raiders Headquarters in Henderson, Nev., on April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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He had 3,535 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes in his lone season at Indiana.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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How the supercar-maker designed golf clubs

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53 minutes ago

4 May 2026

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McLaren Golf unveiled the work it had been hinting at for the past couple of weeks: two different iron models, both built with MIM technology that provides performance both for better players (Series-1) and players looking for some help (Series-3). Many observers have been questioning why McLaren started a golf division in the first place, but the more important question to me is how do you build golf clubs from scratch?

The McLaren Golf Team

Let’s make one thing clear: These clubs are not a collaboration or a branded offering with the McLaren badge. They are made from scratch designs by some of the brightest minds in the game, including JP Harrington, founder of JP Wedges and a former Titleist employee, who is McLaren’s senior design manager for irons and wedges, and Ryan Badgero, a 12-year veteran from Cobra Golf, who is McLaren’s director of engineering. They’ve also attached other operational staff to the brand who are all golf industry veterans. McLaren has no interest in building up to success. They want to start there.

McLaren also has some big names in the game putting their own money on the line with the venture. Justin Rose has been working with the team from the start. He’s not only a McLaren Golf athlete but also an investor in the business as well as the primary player tester when developing the shape and performance of the Series-1. Michelle Wie West is also lending her name to the brand as she comes out of retirement this year to play a few tournaments on the LPGA with the new McLaren Golf equipment.

Two golfers stand on a golf course, each next to a bright orange golf bag with their name printed on it. The man on the left wears a gray sweater and black pants; the woman on the right wears a white shirt and black pants. — Justin Rose and Michell Wie West have both joined the McLaren Golf team.
McLaren Golf

Metal Injection Molding

With a stacked team like this, McLaren has a nice head start. They know what works, what doesn’t and what to test before moving forward. And, yes, they did test. Everything. Forgings, castings and printing were all tested and experimented with until the team landed on Metal Injection Molding, a process that allows them to be highly specific about the designs, including making their own proprietary metal blend for the new irons.

McLaren Golf Series 3 iron — In-hand photos of the new McLaren Golf Series-3 irons.
Jack Hirsh / GOLF

When I asked the engineering team why they are so dedicated to MIM technology, something that has been around for a little while, here’s what they said:

“With McLaren looking to get into the golf space, evaluating cutting edge manufacturing techniques in irons was at a top priority. MIM has its foundations in extremely precise aerospace and biomedical uses and hadn’t been explored to its full capabilities in golf, so taking a deeper look into its potential was really exciting. Our exploration process showed us that MIM would allow us to refine and customize proprietary McLaren metal blends to produce the feel and performance of a forging while also allowing us to create complex, near-net parts that limit the amount of post processing and result in an iron more consistent to our design intentions.”

MIM also allowed the McLaren team to achieve shapes and mass properties that they weren’t able to achieve with standard forging or casting. The biggest surprise to me in talking with the team was that they are using a MIM process for everything — even the tungsten weights that get placed inside, which are all specifically designed and positioned per loft, per model. Using a MIM process allows them to make sure that their tolerances are incredibly tight, meaning there is less finishing work that needs to be done. The heads have a “net-near shape” when they come out of the MIM process. Less finishing work means a greater level of consistency from head to head.

McLaren Golf Series 1 Exploded — The new McLaren Golf Series-1 irons exploded. Here you can see the CG calibration bar created with MIM technology that gives them more tolerance control.
McLaren Golf

MIM is also a clean process. There aren’t giant forging presses, big factory floors and dirty work spaces. Think if an Apple Store was making golf clubs: airy buildings with nice lighting, and clean machines pumping out irons. In the supercar market and on the Formula 1 circuit, McLaren is known for luxury, precision and best-in-class design. McLaren Golf is expected to be no different. They’ll hold themselves to the same high standards as any other McLaren division.

The McLaren team went through over 100 prototypes before settling on what we now know are the Series-1 player’s blade and the Series-3 player’s distance offerings.

Where do you actually start?

Once the McLaren Golf team settled on a process, they got to work creating shapes and involving players like Rose and Wie West in their testing. Rose was a huge part of this development. The Series-1 is essentially Rose’s “perfect” iron, and now we all get to share in that. I haven’t been able to hit them just yet, but from photos and some in-hand time that I have spent with the irons, they sure are cool.

To start the process of designing these new irons from scratch, the team dove into the shape first. How the club sits behind the ball is huge, and for players at the highest levels this look can be the difference between testing a product and handing it right back to a rep or designer. Both the Series-1 and Series-3 have a nice presence behind the ball. The Series-1 is obviously a smaller package with a thinner top line and a shorter blade length, but the Series-3 was surprising. The listed specs sheet for the Series-3 may trigger some folks who are anti-offset, but the way the design hides the offset is really nice. You definitely don’t feel as much offset being there as there is.

Three silver golf irons are shown from different angles, highlighting the clubface grooves, sleek back design with a black and orange insert, and the clubs polished finish. — McLaren Golf Series-3.
McLaren Golf

Once they’ve determined the overall shape and how the club will look behind the ball, they then dive into the sole, which from a performance standpoint can be the next difference in a long list of items that can turn off a player. How the club gets through the ground determines how a player is going to strike the ball. That strike determines performance. Bad turf interaction can halt progress immediately.

McLaren took an interesting approach here with the Series-3, with a wider more forgiving sole design that has a unique sole cut in the heel section. This little cut helps to get the heel of the club through the turf more efficiently. The Series-1 have a slightly narrower sole, but nothing I would consider knife-like with a decent amount of pre-worn leading edge relief that helps the clubs get through the turf quickly without digging too harshly.

With the shape dialed, it’s all about CG location and mass properties. Making sure that the CG of each iron, per loft, is dialed into the proper launch expectation and performance windows is crucial. This was one of the biggest areas where Rose impacted testing. Both the Series-1 and Series-3 have mass property targets that are tight on tolerance.

Another way that MIM has helped with the creation of these parts is in the CG calibration weights that live inside the cavities of both irons. These calibration weights are not uniform across the set. They’re different weights and slightly different shapes in every single head to help create a perfectly uniform feeling set, while making it easier to launch the lower-lofted clubs and control the higher-lofted options. They’re also used as a way to makes sure that headweights for each iron head is consistent. The weights won’t be user-serviceable, meaning they aren’t meant to be a swingweighting tool but rather a final calibration for headweight and CG location that the McLaren factory will install properly before being sent out to custom builders, or to the homes of new McLaren Golf players.

McLaren Golf Series-3 Tungsten placement — Tungsten in the toe of the McLaren Golf Series-3 along with it’s housing. All create with MIM technology.
McLaren Golf

How did they ‘McLaren’ the irons?

To me, this is where some of the coolest back stories make their way out. Both irons feature a mesh pattern on the exterior of the iron that mimics a design feature on the rear of the McLaren W1 supercar. That mesh design is also structural; it’s not there just for decoration. It was designed to help them save weight that could then be moved lower and toward the perimeter to increase the MOI of both different models without losing and integrity in strength, sound or feel off the face.

The Series-3 also has the carbon fiber bonnet in the back, which is probably the more obvious connection back to McLaren Automotive and McLaren Racing. I love that they found a way to include this little bit of carbon fiber in the Series-3 because it again gives a nod to McLaren auto while also serving another function. That bonnet was designed to help improve sound and feel, and by utilizing carbon fiber they were able to find some unique properties. After hitting the Series-3 on course, I have to say the sound and feel is fantastic for this classification of iron.

The structural mesh design on the McLaren Golf irons was inspired by the rear design of the McLaren W1 Supercar.
AUTOCAR UK

The last little nod of course is the numbering on the sole, going with a digital pattern that connects back to McLaren Racing. I love this, too. It’s an easy way to differentiate the irons from others on the market, it connects back to the main McLaren brand that people are familiar with and, honestly, it’s just a cool idea. It’s new, it’s different, it’s fun. No harm in that.

McLaren’s done a good thing here

I’m personally excited about what McLaren is doing. I think it’s a hell of a thing for a giant legacy brand to take this sort of approach in golf. Yes, they’re expensive. No, not everyone will be able to get them. That’s the last thing that should be on any of our minds, though. McLaren isn’t setting out to take down TaylorMade or Callaway. They’re setting out to make sure that they reach their market, their customer. That customer is on the more affluent side of the market, and that customer cares about looks, precision and details that they may not even see but they’re excited to own. (And to brag to their buddies about!)

McLaren Series 1 and 3 Irons. — .McLaren Golf’s new Series-1 and Series-3 irons.
McLaren Golf

McLaren fans are going to buy the gear either way. McLaren easily could have started its golf division as a badging company by just throwing their logo on something else so they could sell to their fan base, but they have chosen to start from scratch, design their own product and spend time honing in their craft and their offerings so that those who want the bragging symbol in the bag will also have the performance envy to back it up. McLaren isn’t about the logo or the name; it’s about performance. McLaren Golf now follows in those large footsteps. So far, they’re filling them nicely.

For the moment, the Series-3 are all we’ve been able to get in our hands, but the Series-1 official launch will be following soon. For more information on the new brand and iy equipment as well as the chance to grab some McLaren Golf merch, visit mclarengolf.com.

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Mumbai Indians vs Lucknow Super Giants LIVE Score IPL 2026: Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh Fireworks Take LSG To 228/5 vs MI

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1 hour ago

4 May 2026

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LSG batting-first XI: Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (c, wk), Akshat Raghuvanshi, Himmat Singh, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav

Impact Bench: Siddharth M, Digvesh Rathi, Mayank Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad

MI bowling-first XI: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Raghu Sharma

Impact Bench: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult

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Blue Jays’ Louis Varland named top AL reliever for March, April

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1 hour ago

4 May 2026

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Louis Varland has emerged as one of the most reliable arms in Major League Baseball, and the Toronto Blue Jays reliever was recognized for his dominant stretch.

Varland was named American League Reliever of the Month for March and April after a dominant stretch that saw him earn the team’s closing role.

Across 16.0 innings, Varland posted a 0.56 ERA, struck out 43.3 per cent of the batters he faced, and converted all four of his save opportunities.

Varland didn’t enter the season as the Blue Jays’ established closer. Initially deployed in a flexible, high-leverage role, he was tasked with bridging the gap in key moments — sometimes as early as the seventh inning.

However, inconsistency from Jeff Hoffman forced Toronto to re-assess its late-game structure early in the month with the team operating with a closer-by-committee approach, with Varland handling most of the ninth-inning situations.

Varland is in his first full season with the Blue Jays after joining the team in a trade last summer with the Minnesota Twins.

San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller was named the NL award winner after posting 10 saves and a 1.17 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 15.1 innings pitched.

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IPL 2026: Nicholas Pooran surpasses Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in explosive batting record during MI vs LSG | Cricket News

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2 hours ago

4 May 2026

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IPL 2026: Nicholas Pooran surpasses Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in explosive batting record during MI vs LSG

Nicholas Pooran and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants batter Nicholas Pooran continues to redefine power-hitting in the IPL, and this time he has moved past Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in one of the league’s most explosive batting records.With his breathtaking 16-ball fifty against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, Pooran now has five IPL half-centuries scored in fewer than 20 balls — the second-most in tournament history. Only Abhishek Sharma, with six, stands ahead of him on the elite list.

Most 50s in less than 20 balls in IPL:

6 — Abhishek Sharma
5 — Nicholas Pooran
4 — Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Pooran’s latest blitz was more than just another quickfire innings. It felt like a statement. Batting at No. 3 for the first time this season for Lucknow Super Giants, the left-hander looked completely unleashed from the moment he walked in.

Fastest fifties for LSG (by balls)

15 – Nicholas Pooran vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2023
16 – Nicholas Pooran vs MI, Wankhede, 2026
18 – Nicholas Pooran vs SRH, Hyderabad, 2025
19 – Nicholas Pooran vs MI,Wankhede, 2024
20 – Kyle Mayers vs PBKS, Mohali, 2023
20 – Nicholas Pooran vs DC, Delhi, 2024

He raced to 63 off just 21 deliveries, smashing one four and eight sixes at a staggering strike rate of 300. The landmark moment came in the 8th over when he pulled a short ball from Deepak Chahar over fine leg for six to bring up his fifty in only 16 balls. The shot itself summed up the innings — fearless, inventive, and brutally clean.The celebration also hinted at the significance of the knock. Pooran blew a kiss before raising his bat to acknowledge the crowd, almost as if sending a message to the team management that this role suits him perfectly.On a night where even bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah struggled for control, Pooran turned the Wankhede into his personal launchpad. If this innings is any indication, Pooran at No. 3 could become one of the most dangerous tactical shifts of IPL 2026.

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Sepals eyes 2026 Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane return

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2 hours ago

4 May 2026

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Three racehorses with jockeys sprinting side by side on a grassy track during a race.

Group 1 winner Sepals remains on course for a Queensland foray under trainer Cliff Brown.

Last spring’s conqueror of the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, the gelding delivered Brown’s breakthrough Group 1 triumph post his 2021 homecoming from Singapore.

The trainer targets the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm June 13, emphasising a swift withdrawal if the four-year-old shows any concern.

Von Hauke’s Listed Golden Mile (1600m) victory at Bendigo on Saturday positions the stable with possible dual Stradbroke challengers.

After filling fourth in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington first-up, Sepals journeyed to Sydney as the market fancy for the Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill on March 28.

The performance disappointed, with Brown citing a stern weight and a track at Rosehill debilitated by Sydney Carnival exertions, leaving the gelding subdued back in Melbourne.

A proposed Sydney revisit for the Group 1 All-Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 18 was shelved in favour of a concise paddock respite for Sepals.

“He had 10 days off and he’s come back in tremendous order,” Brown said.

“He just wasn’t himself, but he seems right now.

“I don’t think he appreciated the track up in Sydney, but just afterwards when we got him home, he just wasn’t himself.

“We know him intimately and he wasn’t right.

“I gave him a jump-out, which was OK, without being great, but then he had the 10 days off and I thought, if he’s OK, we’ll be able to continue on and if he’s not, we’ll go to the paddock.

“At this point he seems good and if he’s right, we’ll head up to Queensland, and he can have a run at the end of the month with the aim of hopefully getting him to the Stradbroke.”

Discover competitive racing betting markets ahead of the Stradbroke Handicap.

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Benfica: Jose Mourinho’s team on course for unbeaten campaign but miss out on title

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2 hours ago

4 May 2026

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Mourinho and Benfica will surely view this season as a missed opportunity – although an invincible campaign would be some solace.

They could even finish third given they are only three points ahead of Sporting, who have a game in hand and a supeerior goal difference.

Portuguese sports publication A Bola, external said Benfica had “gifted” rivals Porto 12 points, after letting a lead slip in six of their 10 draws.

However, after seeing their title hopes disappear following a 2-2 draw at Famalicao on Saturday, Benfica president Rui Costa instead took aim at the officials.

“No-one has the right to decide who wins championships or who goes to the Champions League other than the players and coaches on the field, and what happened here today was not that,” Costa said.

Costa complained that Famalicao were unfairly awarded a penalty, while their second goal “came from a corner which wasn’t a corner”.

“It unequivocally explains what this referee came here to do today. Trying to make sure Benfica got beaten here.”

Portuguese sports newspaper Record, external has reported that the Portuguese Association of Football Referees will file a complaint against Costa after his comments.

Mourinho, who was also unhappy with the officiating in Saturday’s match, said: “This game is a good reflection of what has happened in this championship.”

The Portuguese manager has been one of the names linked to the Real Madrid job in the summer if the Spanish club decide to part ways with Alvaro Arbeloa.

However, O Jogo report, external that Benfica are set to offer Mourinho a new contract this week.

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